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Cashless fundraising used to be a convenience question. Since 1 October 2026 it is a cost question too. The RBA has removed surcharging on debit, prepaid and credit cards on the eftpos, Mastercard and Visa networks, so charities can no longer pass card fees on to donors as a compulsory surcharge. Every card fee is now a cost your charity carries, unless a donor chooses to cover it. This guide compares each cashless payment method on what it costs, how fast the money lands and where it works best, so you can build a payment mix that keeps more of every gift.
Why Cashless Fundraising Matters in 2026
Cash has not vanished, but it is no longer the default. The RBA's 2025 Consumer Payments Survey found cash made up 19 per cent of in-person payments by number and just 16 per cent by value. More than four in five people passing your stall will pay by card or phone, if they give at all.
Giving is also under pressure. The ACNC's latest Australian Charities Report recorded $18.9 billion in donations and bequests, but excluding a single $4.9 billion gift, donations grew by less than 0.4 per cent. When the donor pool is flat, losing a willing supporter because you only take cash is a loss you cannot make up elsewhere.
Cashless Payment Methods for Charities, Compared
There are four main ways to take cashless donations. Each runs on different payment rails, and the rails decide the cost.
1. Tap to Pay (cards, Apple Pay and Google Pay)
A volunteer holds out their phone and the donor taps a card, phone or watch. Cost: card rails, so a merchant fee applies to every gift. With Pebl that is a flat 1.80 per cent, or 90 cents on a $50 donation, with no terminal rental. Settlement: usually one to two business days. Best for: roaming collectors, registration desks, bars and BBQs. Our guide to accepting charity donations at events without an EFTPOS machine walks through the setup.
2. QR code donations
Donors scan a printed code and give in their browser, with no app needed. QR codes are an operational tool, not a cheaper rail: the donor still pays by card or digital wallet, so the same card fees apply as Tap to Pay. Their value is reach: one code on a table card collects donations without a volunteer beside it. Best for: seated galas, festival signage and op shop counters.
3. Payment links
A shareable link sent by email, SMS or social media. Like QR codes, links are paid by card, so card fees apply. What they add is time: a link keeps working before and after the event, catching supporters who could not attend. Best for: pre-event appeals, pledges made on the night and paid later, and peer-to-peer drives.
4. PayID (instant bank transfer)
The donor sends money straight from their banking app to your registered email, phone number or ABN. PayID runs on the New Payments Platform, not the card networks, so there is no card interchange and the new surcharging restrictions do not apply. Funds typically arrive in near real time. Best for: large auction wins, corporate pledges and any gift of a few hundred dollars or more, where card fees start to add up. We cover the numbers in why PayID is the best donation method for Australian charities.
What Each Method Costs on a Real Fundraising Night
Take a charity gala raising $40,000: $25,000 in small tap and QR donations through the night, and $15,000 from five large auction wins.
- Everything on card at 1.80%: $720 in fees, all absorbed by the charity now that surcharging has ended.
- Small gifts on card, auction wins by PayID: $450 in card fees on the $25,000, while the $15,000 skips card interchange entirely. Check your provider's PayID pricing, because that is the only cost left on those gifts.
The lesson is not to avoid cards, which are what donors carry. It is to match the method to the size of the gift. For a full run sheet, see how to take payments at a charity gala, auction or trivia night.
Can Donors Still Cover the Fee?
Yes, if they choose to. A compulsory surcharge on card donations is no longer allowed, but an optional amount a donor decides to add is treated differently. Pebl Collect has replaced its surcharging setting with Supporter Cover, which prompts volunteers to ask donors whether they would like to cover the platform fee. Donors can say no, and the gift goes through either way. The Supporter Cover help guide explains how to switch it on for each location.
Match the Method to the Moment
- High-traffic events (fun runs, markets, door knocks): Tap to Pay first, with QR codes at stations as backup
- Seated events (galas, awards nights): QR codes on tables, Tap to Pay at the bar, PayID for auction wins
- Online and hybrid appeals: payment links first, with QR codes on anything printed
- Large public events (expos, festivals, community days): all four working together
What to Look for in a Charity Payment Platform
- No hardware: it should run on the phones your volunteers already own
- No monthly fees or lock-in: seasonal fundraisers should not pay rent in quiet months
- Unlimited team members with role-based permissions, so volunteers can take donations without seeing bank details or issuing refunds
- PayID alongside cards, so large gifts have a path off card rails
- Real-time reporting and tax-ready receipts for DGR-endorsed charities
This is what Pebl Collect was built for: payment infrastructure for fundraising teams, not a card reader with a donation button bolted on. If your charity is moving off ANZ's Shout for Good, we compare the options in our Shout for Good alternative guide.
Real Results From Australian Charities
Epilepsy Action Australia placed QR codes on table signage at its Purple for Purpose Gala and raised over 200 per cent more than the previous year, when it hired EFTPOS terminals.
Head Above Water, a Northern Beaches charity focused on mental fitness, ran Tap to Pay on volunteers' own phones at its 24-hour Swimathon. The event has raised over $880,000 across six swimathons.
Frequently Asked Questions
Can charities still surcharge card donations?
No. From 1 October 2026, surcharging is removed on debit, prepaid and credit cards on the eftpos, Mastercard and Visa networks, and not-for-profits are not exempt. Donors can still choose to cover the fee voluntarily.
Are QR code donations cheaper than Tap to Pay?
No. QR codes and payment links are paid by card or digital wallet, so card fees apply. Of the four methods, only PayID avoids card interchange.
How quickly do funds arrive?
Card donations typically settle in one to two business days. PayID transfers arrive in near real time.
Get Started in Under 10 Minutes
Register with your charity's ABN, add your volunteers, create quick-select amounts ($10, $20, $50 and custom), print your QR codes and send your payment links. Volunteers download Pebl Collect for iPhone or Android. When you are ready, set up your charity on Pebl and see what your next event raises.
